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St. Joseph School teachers Daniel Hein and Meagan Rogers pose with the rest of the St. Joseph School group who will be heading to Costa Rica next year after a fundraising brainstorming session on Tuesday, April 15.
Barry Kerton | Whitecourt Star

Next year, a number of local students will have a chance to experience a trip of a lifetime.

In January, 14 Grade 10 to 12 St. Joseph School students will get a an opportunity to travel to Costa Rica on a trip that is both adventure – hiking trip and missionary work.

St. Joseph School teacher and one of the trip organizers Meagan Rogers said students will not only will have the opportunity to backpack through the rainforest but to help the people of Costa Rica.

Grade 11 student Dallen Girard said, the mission part of the excursion is what excites him the most.

“I am not sure of what kind of work we will be doing yet,” he said. “We might be teaching children to read English or helping build a house or school, but I am ready to do anything.”

Grade 9 students Sarah Hittel and Tira Shaw agree with Girar, but are excited about the adventure of the trip.

St. Joseph School teacher and fellow trip organizer Daniel Hein said they decided to organize the trip early at the beginning of the school year.

“I found out about this trip from a teacher friend of mine this summer, and I thought it would be a perfect fit for our students, especially when I found out about the mission portion,” he said.

Originally, the trip was to include Peru as well as Costa Rica, but the travel company, World Challenge, said it would be best to just go to Costa Rica.

“World Challenge organizes a lot of these trips and what is included depends on what other groups and they have booked are doing,” Rogers said.

The trip which will take place this January, will costjust under $4,000 a person.

Each student is responsible their own way, but Hein and Rogers said students are planning to fundraise to off set some of the costs.

Hein said the students are looking for fundraising opportunities that doesn’t include selling.

“There are so many groups that are already selling things to fundraise,” Hein said. “What we are looking for is to work for our money by finding odd jobs that we can do.”

The group is also looking for sponsors to help not only offset the costs to the students but potentially help buy items not only that they might need but for the people of Costa Rica.

Hein said because of the poverty that exists in Costa Rica many people can not afford basic necessities that people in Canada take for granted. But because the students do not know what villages they will be visiting, Hein said they do not know what type of things the people might need until they get on the ground in Costa Rica.

That is why, Hein said the students are hoping to raise some extra money, so they buy those items when they get there.

To help sponsor the St. Joseph School Costa Rica trip contact Hein or Rogers at at 780-778-2345 or email daniel.hein@livingwaters.ab.ca